During 2019 the consumption of diesel, gasoline and gas, products with the highest participation in the oil bill, reached Ch$2,719 million, a 0.8% lower amount than that reported in 2018.
Figures from the General Direction of Hydrocarbons (DGH) detail that between 2018 and 2019 the Guatemalan oil bill was reduced by $21 million, from $2.719 million to $2.041 million.
Between January and September 2018 and the first nine months of this year, imports of petroleum products increased by 1.8 million barrels, from 14.3 million barrels to 16.1 million barrels.
Regarding the imported value, the Central Bank of Honduras reported that at the end of the third quarter of 2019, imports of fuels, lubricants and electric energy were registered for $1.230 million, reporting a $9.9 million decrease year on year, explained by the decrease of 11.5% in the international price, partially offset by the 12.5% increase in the imported volume.
In the first ten months of the year, Salvadoran purchases abroad that make up the oil bill reached $1.252 million, 10% less than the amount reported in the same period of 2018.
The structure of the oil bill is mainly composed of gasoline ($387.3 million), diesel ($349.5 million), liquefied gases and propane ($189.1 million) and fuel oil (Bunker C) with $146.3 million.
On April 28, a ban on the import and marketing of high-sulphur diesel began in El Salvador.
At the end of November 2018, the Legislative Assembly approved a ban on the import and commercialization of fuels with a high sulfur content, mainly diesel for vehicular use, which must be applied in its entirety based on the resolution of the Council of the Minister of Economic Integration of Central America (COMIECO), where a commitment is signed to import and commercialize only fuels with a low sulfur content.
From January to November last year, fuel sales totaled 1.010 million gallons, 5% less than the 1.058 million gallons reported in the first eleven months of the previous year.
The most recent data published by the General Comptroller of the Republic of Panama details that during the first eleven months of 2018 the consumption of gasoline in the country, which includes the 91 and 95 octane, totaled 300 million gallons, 0.8% more than in the same period last year.
From January to October of this year, fuel sales in the country totaled 924 million gallons, 5% less than the 974 million gallons reported in the first ten months of 2017.
The latest report published by the General Comptroller of the Republic of Panama details that during the first ten months of 2018 the fuel consumption in the country, which includes 91 and 95 octanes, totaled 274 million gallons, 0.7% more than in the same period last year.
In El Salvador, the Legislative Assembly approved a ban on the importation and commercialization of fuels with a high Sulphur content, mainly diesel for vehicular use.
From the Legislative Assembly statement:
According to the Legislative Assembly, the import and commercialization of fuels with a high sulfur content was banned, mainly diesel for vehicular use, which must be fully applied based on the resolution of the Consejo de Ministro de Integración Económica de Centroamérica (COMIECO), where a commitment to import and commercialize only fuels with a low sulfur content was signed.
Starting April the maximum permitted amount of sulfur will be 500 parts per million, and higher amounts of sulfur in diesel may only be used for electricity generation.
It is expected from the second week of May the new diesel will be publicly available at an additional cost of $0.06 per gallon, approximately. In the case of imported diesel intended for power generation, a special permit must be applied for from the Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM).
Gasoline distributors are concerned about Petrocaribe's recommendation that the Salvadoran government be the sole manager of oil imports.
An urgent appeal to the Government for it to call together companies from the sector and clarify the implications of El Salvador's entry into Petrocaribe, has been the reaction of the distributors of domestic fuels, in light of statements by representatives of Alba Petróleos suggesting that the government should establish an entity to manage the purchase and import of hydrocarbon derivatives purchases.